Alumna Shares a Deep Appreciation for Her Springfield College Experience

For Springfield College alumna Cara Loux ’07, she continues to live a balanced life filled with creativity and innovation, while staying committed to showcasing the strong impact our alumni network can have on current students. Her devotion to connecting with others was always on display during her 20-year involvement with Outdoor Pursuits at East Campus.

With spring officially upon us, the current campus community is preparing for the 95th edition of Outdoor Pursuits at the conclusion of the spring semester. Also known historically as "freshman camp," Outdoor Pursuits is an outdoor living experience that takes place at the conclusion of final exams in May. Attendees engage in activities selected to increase environmental awareness, improve outdoor living skills, and serve as an introduction to resource-based pursuits.

Loux’s journey with Outdoor Pursuits started as a first-year student in 2003, serving as a yoga assistant to Beth Gibney-Boulden ’96, G’98, in the remaining years of her student experience. Post her graduation in 2007, Loux served as unit leader and yoga class instructor for the next 15 years. During her time with Outdoor Pursuits, Loux always reinforced the reality that the program is so much more than just a course for college credit; it’s an opportunity for experiential learning that shapes students into leaders who will be of service to others in their communities.

“Outdoor Pursuits allows students to interact with faculty and staff in a different light,” explained Loux. “There is almost an innocence attached with Outdoor Pursuits that affords a chance for participants to experience it with an open mind. The environment at East Campus allows students, faculty, and staff collectively to see things from different perspectives. It provides a space to think and teach outside the box, learn in new ways, and transform through an immersive experience.”

To understand why Springfield College is so special to Loux, you have to appreciate that her values align with our Humanics philosophy. As much as she explains how she found the College, she emphasizes that the College also found her.

“Coming back as a member of the alumni network, I always wanted to emphasize to the current students what it looks like to have the support system of Springfield College in the real world,” described Loux. “Their education comes with an expansive network that is so much more than one can imagine. Students can lean on this supportive collective that is comprised of leaders developed at the College. Outdoor Pursuits allowed me to have this dialogue naturally with its students.”

Loux went on to add, “Teaching yoga afforded me the chance to demonstrate how self-care through movement and meditation can help students remain present in life’s moments. It opens space to dream of what impact they would like to have in their chosen professions.”

Being able to connect with students, as a unit leader through deep-thinking conversations, has always been an aspect of staying connected with the College that Loux enjoys. She remains a strong ambassador for the mission of the College, always willing to find the best ways to demonstrate our Humanics philosophy, and show how it’s provided to all students. 

“I appreciate the setting of East Campus, specifically for building a conversational bridge between students and alumni of all ages and positions. We discuss how we use what Springfield College has taught us in all aspects of our lives, which creates a special bond,” explained Loux. “I think it’s rare to have a college committed to selecting students that they feel can better serve our world and communities. The Springfield College student will receive an education that they need to evolve personally and professionally that is authentic. It’s bringing people together that support each person’s ambitions.”

For Loux, it was as early as her first year at Stratford High School in Connecticut that she discovered Springfield College was the perfect place for her to continue her education. She had family connections and friends who went to Springfield College, and the alumni network reinforced to her that Springfield College was a perfect fit.

“I was enthralled with Springfield College in high school because it matched up with everything I wanted out of continuing education,” explained Loux. “I was set on enrolling in the Athletic Training program, and I knew the program and the College had an amazing reputation.”

Loux was so confident that Springfield College was the perfect choice for her, she actually had to explain to her high school guidance counselor why she wasn’t applying to other prestigious schools.

“My high school guidance counselor set up a meeting with myself and my parents, and during this conversation, I was empathic when explaining that I wanted to go to Springfield College because I knew it was going to provide the well-rounded education I needed to become the person I wanted to be,” explained Loux.

Loux was one of the youngest inductees into her high school Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013, following an impressive high school athletics career at Stratford that saw her become the school’s only All-American gymnast, All-State track star, and swim team captain. When Loux arrived on Alden Street, she became a collegiate diver (from 2003 to 2007), even qualifying for nationals her senior year. Loux’s student experience would quickly become everything she mentioned in her college essay when applying; it would always remain focused on living a balanced life.

It wouldn’t take Loux very long to get involved in many extracurricular activities on campus. She took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Leadership Training Conference as both attendee and then facilitator. She was part of the Vagina Monologues student group, and she worked for the Office of Admissions, stepping in as a student ambassador as well.

“I was an advocate for the College before I even enrolled,” explained Loux. “I needed the magic that Springfield College provides, as well as the academic support. The experience exceeded what I could have ever imagined.”

While working towards her degree in Athletic Training during her junior year, her mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. It was a real-life moment that quickly put everything into perspective for Loux.

“My mother, Pat, saw me graduate, and that was a very special moment for our family,” explained Loux. “I knew that both she and my father, Larry, were proud of the woman I was becoming, and that motivated me to stay on the path toward graduation.”

Following graduation, Loux started to establish herself in the Athletic Training field, working on professional athletes, and she coupled that with coaching gymnastics and enrolling in a clinical degree program at the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy. This combination of skills was something that Loux had on her mind even before graduation. 

“I wanted to be a Certified Athletic Trainer, but I also wanted to get my massage therapy Llcensure as well, and practice both,” explained Loux. “I believe that manual therapy is an extremely beneficial tool in the healing process, and to this day, it still remains a personal passion.”

It was also during this time that Loux would utilize some family ties to take advantage of a unique opportunity that would be presented to her.

“My brother, Eric, is in the music industry, and I started to have clients who were performing in bands,” explained Loux. “These artists were traveling long hours on buses, and their schedules made it tough to maintain their health care routines. This was also a time where a switch in music was happening. Music wasn’t being sold as much, and it meant that artists had to tour more to be successful. These artists were starting to think more about their health and longevity as time out ‘on the road’ was ever-increasing. The industry was ready for health care that I could provide, and I knew this was my niche. It was my Springfield College education that gave me the confidence to create a role to fulfill the needs of artists and crew on the road.”

From 2008 to 2016, Loux would take her athletic training and massage therapy skills around the world, working with bands and musicians. This experience would also allow her to get involved in the many different business aspects of the music industry, such as production and merchandise sales. Despite the travel time, Loux would ensure her commitment to Outdoor Pursuits remained on her schedule.

“Outdoor Pursuits became my home base, and I really enjoyed the environment to connect, reflect, and continue to create a vision for the future,” explained Loux. “I looked forward to each year, coming back and working with the students, and getting to know who they are and what they were passionate about. I would relate to the students using my own life experiences. I tried to provide examples that could breed confidence in students to explore the endless possibilities of their own futures.”

Starting nine years ago, Loux made Breckenridge, Colo., home as a small business owner. Colorado fulfills her passion for the outdoors and surrounds her with a physically active clientele. While her practice grew, she put her music industry skills to work, producing the Vail Jazz Music Festival. Last spring, Loux had to make the calculated decision to retire from her involvement with Outdoor Pursuits to allow herself time to expand her business. Despite this adjustment, Loux is committed to staying connected with Springfield College.

“I have hosted endless students and alumni over the years as a result of connections made at Outdoor Pursuits. Students and mentors have become lifelong friends,” concluded Loux. “I always emphasized to the students that I am a resource for them, and that Springfield College alumni are everywhere helping each other. I will always fulfill that commitment to giving back because I love Springfield College, and it will always be an integral part of my life.”